'My experience of Valencia, Extremadura, even Milan, where there are two teams, the fans are behind the team - passion, I like that. Believe me if you go to Naples, you will feel the pressure.

'If everyone loves football you feel that passion. We have to expect and enjoy that.'

Newcastle enjoyed 68 per cent of the possession against Brighton and mustered 27 shots, but still failed to find the back of the net and to that end, the return of striker Salomon Rondon from a thigh injury at St Mary's Stadium represents a boost.

However, Benitez remains convinced that if his players continue to do what he is asking them to do, their fortunes will change, as they very nearly did at Manchester United on October 6, when they led 2-0 before eventually succumbing 3-2.

The Spaniard said: 'I try to be calm. It's trying to do things in the same way.

But the players' disappointment was clear after failing to score from 27 shots against Brighton

'We are talking about the methodology, the approach to the game - but why would we change all of these things?

'We just have to make a few small changes to try to be successful. When you try to change too many things, it's a massive risk.

'When you start to change this and that, it can be worse. We are so close to winning the first game and climbing out of the bottom three. We have to believe we can do it.'